In a rocker arm of the pre-cited type known form DE-A 33 13 437, the axle is connected to a clearance compensation element. A slide connected to a solenoid acts on the one-way valve of the clearance compensation element in opening direction, i.e. in a direction toward a high pressure chamber. During a positive loading of the one-way valve by the slide when the solenoid is active, the hydraulically maintained rigidity of the high pressure chamber is neutralized. Upon a lifting motion of the cam, the axle of the rocker arm can now be displaced toward the solenoid so that the rocker arm pivots about its contact surface on the gas exchange valve which thus remains closed.
A drawback of this prior art rocker arm is that it is supported by hydraulic means so that it possesses a certain degree of undesired elasticity in support direction in the region of its axle. It must be remarked further that the uncoupling unit comprising the solenoid and the slide is a mechanism of a relatively complicated structure and is expensive to manufacture.